Aeroplane



June '28, 1932. J HOJNOWSK] 1,865,252

AEROPLANE Filed Dec. 24, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 28, 1932. J. HOJNOWSKI AEROPLANE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 24, 1931 June 28, 1932.. J. HOJNOWSKI 1,865,252

AEROPLANE Filed Dec. 24. 1931 a Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented lune 28, T932 I l,8t,2t

MEQELANE Application filed Eecember Ed, 1331. Serial Eon 588,106.

This invention relates to aeroplanes.

Que important object of the invention is to provide improved means for preventing nose dives in aeroplanes and for causing aeroplanes to come out of such nose dives automatically,

A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel wing and wing flap or aileron arrangement with automatic means m for controlling such wing flaps or ailerons to cause them to operate to restore an aeroplane to normal flight upon the aeroplane going into a nose dive.

A third important object of the invention is to provide means to control such automatic means so that the pilot may at will prevent such automatic operation and thus he enaloled, when necessary or desirable, to cause the aeroplane to nose dive and perform all the manoeuvers capable oi being performed by the usual aeroplane.

A hur -5h important object of the invention is to provide a novel helicopter arrangement for aeroplanes With the above and other objects in view W the invention consists in general of certain novel arrangements of parts and comhinations of details hereinafter fully described illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

lfn the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and t Figure l is a plan view partly broken away of" a preferred form of aeroplane constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof also partly lorolren away;

Figure 3 is a front elevation thereof; A Figure l is an enlarged detail section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

figure 6 is an enlarged detail section on the 45 line 6-4? of Figure 1;

Figure l is a sideelevation of a second preferred form of the invention; and

Figure 8 is a front elevation ofthis second for o In each of the forms herein shown there is provided an aeroplane having the usual fuse- ,lage 10, empennage l1, propeller l2, landing wheels 13 and tail skid ll. In the fuselage is one or more cockpits l5.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive relates especially to lolplanes while the form shown in Figures 7 and 8 relates to monoplanes.

lln the biplane form the aeroplane has the usual lower wings 16 which are connected by Gil struts 17 to the upper wing structure 18 which is provided with the usuahailerons 19 at its trailing edge. It is to beohserved that the controls for these ailerons and for the rudders are omitted from the present drawings to (35 avoid confusion of lines and because such con trols are oi standard construction and form no specific part of the present invention The middle portion of the leading edge of the upper wing 18 is cut away as at 28* and extending across the top'oi the wing 18 are ribs 21 extending longitudinally of the aeroplane. The ribs project over the gap in the leading edge portion of the wing and terminate forwardly in substantial alinernent with the remaining portions of said leading edge. The gap in the leading edge portion of the wing 18 is normally filled by a flap or supplemental aileron 22 which is connected at its forward edge portion to tne forward ends or the rihs 21 loy hinge eyes 23 and pintles 2 L The front edge of the gapped portion of the wing and the rear edge of the llap 22 are coactingly rahheted as hest shown in Figure elso that the rear edge of the flap is prevented from rising above the plane of the hody of the wing 18.

in each of the forrns'hereshown there is provided a guide pulley 25 located well for wardly at the door of the fuselage. At the W rear of the fuselage there is a similar guide pulley 26 and just forward of this pulley is a pair oi rails 27 whereon travek a wheeled weight 28. This weight is preferably in the form of a gasoline tank but itwill he obvious n that it may he an oil tanlr a water tanlr or any other form of weigh Supplemental or guard rails29 hold this weight on its tracks and a stop 30-limits its rearward movement. A rope, wire or other flexible element 31 has too one end connected" to the rear end of the weight and is led around the pulleys 26 and 25 and then up to the rear or trailing edge of the flap 22.

Bearings 32, mounted between the cockpits 15, support a shaft 33 whereon is a winding drum 33' and a hand wheel 34. A second rope or wire 35 is wound on this drum and extends up over the trailing edge of the wing 18. This rope is branched and its branches extend down through openings 36 and is connected to the trailing edge of the flap 22 as best shown in Figure 4:." A pawl and ratchet mechanism 37 is used. to hold the rope 35 wound on the drum 33' when it is desired that the automatic means shall be prevented from operating.

Normally the weight rests in its rearmost position against the stop but whenever the plane goes into a nose dive the weight rolls forwardly and pulls on the strand 31 so that the trailing edge of the flap 22 is pulled down and takes such a position as is shown in F igure 4 so that the nose is at once lifted and the aeroplane again comes to a level or normal position. Obviously, unless the pawl is released as it is in normal flight, this action is prevented. IVhen, therefore, the pilot desires to make the aeroplane nose dive he drops the pawl on the ratchet. He is then free to operate the aeroplane as though the upper wing were of the usual type having no nrovable flap at its leading edge.

The low wing monoplane of Figures 7 and 8 is equipped with the same weight arrangement and has the usual wings 38. Since there is no upper wing proper in this form, the fuselage carries hinge members 39 to which is hinged the leading edge of a flap 40 of the same general form as the flap 22 and, like it, having the strand 31 connected thereto. The operation here is the same as in the previous form except that no provision is made for eliminating the action of the flap.

In both of these forms a helicopter propeller 4:1 is arranged below the fuselage in substantial vertical alinement with the wings.

There has thus been provided a simple and effieient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

I claim 1. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight,

and guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the freight to pull the said rear edge downward- 2. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported .at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, and means controllable by the pilot of the aeroplane to prevent downward movement of said rear edge.

3. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling fiap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, aflexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said ear edge downward- 1y, andguard rails over said weight to hold the same on the-track.

4. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, guard rails over said weight to hold the same on the track, and means controllable by the pilotof the aeroplaneto prevent downward movement of said rear edge.

5. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edgeand supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a weight in the fuselage mounted to move longitudinally thereof, an operative connection between said weight and the rear edge of the flap and arranged to pull the rear edge downwardly as the weight moves forwardly, and a wing having a gap in its leading edge wherein said flap is fitted.

G. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a-weight in the fuselage mounted to move longitudinally thereof, an operative connection between said weight and the rear edge of the flap and arranged to pull the rear edge downwardly as the weight moves forwardly, means controllable by the pilot of the aeroplane to prevent downward movement of said rear edge, and a wing having a lio gap in its leading edge wherein said flap is itted.

7. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight'runnlng on said track, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, and a wing having a gap in its leading edge wherein said flap isfitted.

8. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling fiap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight,running on said track, aflexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positionedto cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, means controllable by the pilot of the aeroplane to prevent downward movement of said rear edge, and a wing having a gap in. its leading edge wherein said flap is fitted.

9. ln an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling fiap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, guard rails over said weight to hold the same on the track, and a wing having a gap in its leading edge wherein said flap is fitted.

10. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling iiap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weightto pull the said rear edge downwardly, guard rails over said weight to hold the same on the track, means controllable by the pilot of the aeroplane to prevent downward movement of said rear edge, and a wing having a gap in its leading edge wherein said flap is titted,

-ll. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a weight the fuselage mounted to move longitudinally thereof, an operative connection between said weight and the rear edge of the flap and arranged to pull the rear edge downwardly as the weight moves forwardly, a manually operable winding drum on said fuselage, a strand wound on said drum and arranged to pull the rear edge ot the flap up, and a pawl and ratchet-mechanism for releasably holding the drum from rotation,

12. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, a flexiblestrand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and ositioned to cause forward movement oi the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardljy, a manually operable winding drum on said fuselage, a strand wound on said drum and arranged to pull the rear edge of the flap up, and a pawl and ratchet rnecha nisln for releasably holding the drum from rotation,

13. "in an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said traclr, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, guard rails over said weight to hold 1 the same on the track, a manually operable winding drum on said fuselage, a strand wound on said drum and arranged to pull the rear edge of the up, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for releasahly holding the drum from rotation.

14. ln an aerop ne, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hi god at its forward edge and supported in forward part of the fuselage, a weight in the fuselage mounted to move longitudinally thereof, an operative 7 connection hetween said weight and the rear edge of the flap and arranged to pull the rear edge downwardly as the weight moves for wardly, a wing having a gap in its leading edge wherein said flap. is fitted, a manually operable winding drum on said fuselage, a strand wound on said drum and arranged to pull the rear edge of the flap up, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for releasaloly holding the drum from rotation.

15. lln an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge 7 and supported at the forward part the fuselage, traclr in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight wardly, a wing having 9. ap in its leading edge wherein said flap is tted, a manually operable winding drum on said fuselage, a

strand wound on said drum and arranged to pull the rear edge of the flap up, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for releasably holding the drum from rotation.

16. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a dive controlling flap hinged at its forward edge and supported at the forward part of the fuselage, a track in the fuselage extending longitudinally thereof, a wheeled weight running on said track, a flexible strand connecting the rear edge of the flap and the weight, guide pulleys guiding said strand and positioned to cause forward movement of the weight to pull the said rear edge downwardly, guard rails over said weight to hold the same on the track, a wing having a gap in its leading edge wherein said flap is fitted, a manually operable winding drum on said fuselage, astrand wound on said drum and arranged to pull the rear edge of the flap up, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for releasably holding the drum from rotation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAKOB HOJNOWSKI. 

